Fireplace and guard therefor



ZSpnl 14, 1953 H. o. DAVIES ET AL FIREPLACE AND GUARD THEREFOR Filed Dec. 5, 1951 2 SHEETSSHEET l k...- DAV/[5' AND JOHN ARNOLD DAV/E5 HfRBf/PT OWZW Attorneya April 14, 1953 H. o. DAVIES ET AL FIREPLACE AND GUARD THEREFOR 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Dec.- 5, 1951 dew W ON v at M M Attorneys Patented Apr. 14, 1953 FIREPLACE AND GUARD THEREFOR Herbert Owen Davies, Coedpoeth, near Wrexham, North Wales, and John Arnold Davies,

Oswestry, England Application December 5, 1951, Serial No. 260,052

In Great Britain December 16, 1950 3 Claims.

This invention relates to fireplaces and aims to combine therewith, as an integral (i. e. normally nondetachable) accessory thereof, a guarding structure which is characterised in that-considered as a whole-it may be readily moved from an out-of-use to an in-use position guarding a fireplace, and so prevent the access of children thereto; and, when not in use, is concealed from View except in respect of plain, or preferably ornamental, terminal members or panels which appear on the sides of the fireplace.

In carrying out our invention, we provide, in the sides or side walls of a fireplace, passages, recesses, or cavities; and permanently, or normally non-detachably, associate therewith portions of displaceable or collapsible guard components of any suitable construction, but such that they may be entered respectively into or through said side passages, recesses or cavities, and will so remain until required for use, when they may be in part withdrawn and moved to guarding position.

The free-i. e, outer-extremities of the respective guard components are associated with terminal panels, or the like, so that, when the guard is not required for use, the panels will abut as stops against the sides of the fireplace and mask the openings of the passages, recesses or cavities, said panels being, preferably, of such shape and colouration as to harmonise with the fireplace.

When it is required to move the guard into position of use, each collapsible or displaceable guard component is withdrawn from concealment by the aid of its terminal panel, or the like, and a foldable part thereof moved across in front of the fire, the two guard components being then connected together in any convenient manner. When the guard is not required, said components are disconnected from one another and readily rehoused, only said stop panels or the like appearing at the front of the fireplaces sides.

To facilitate hand actuation of the guard, said front panels may be fitted with countersunk ring or other handles.

We will further describe our invention with the aid of the accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings, which illustrate, only, and not of limitation two modes of embodiment.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional fireplace with a guard consisting of two portions in position of use.

Fig. 2 is a detached view showing the rear of one side of the guard and mode of supportin same.

by way of examples,

Fig. 3 is lustrated in Fig. 1, on the left hand side of which View a guard portion is inwardly displaced and housed behind a side wall surround of the fireplace, and on the right hand sidethe other guard portion is shown partially collapsed preparatory to being moved inwardly and housed in out-ofuse position, or pulled outwardly to position of use, as the case may be.

Figs. 4 and 5 are, respectively, part sectional front and side elevations of alternative guide means for the guard components, and Fig. 6 is a rear perspective view of part of Fig. 5 drawn to an enlarged scale.

In the several views like characters of reference denote like or equivalent parts wherever they oc--.

cur.

The guard portions and associated parts of the examplesillustrated are of metal, but any other suitable material may be utilised.

Referring first to the fireplace and guard illustrated in Figs. -1 to 3, III generally represents a fireplace in each side wall Ill whereof is formed a vertical passage I I provided at top and bottom with guide components Il Said'guides Il receive upper and lower horizontal slide bars I2, I2 at the front whereof is secured a vertical panel or escutcheon plate I3 provided with a ring handle I4: at the'rear said bars I2 are connected by a stop piece I5. The forward or outward travel of bars I2 is thus controlled by abutment of stop piece If: against stationary sleeves I I whilst their rearward or inward movement terminates on abutment of the associated panel I3 against the side wall ID and sleeves II are effectively masked. The rectangular frames formed by rear stop pieces I5, front panels I3 and slide bars l2, l2 are filled in by wire meshwork I6.

A rod I! is secured by its extremities to each pair of slide bars I2 adjacent front panel l3, and pivotally connected at H to rod I1 is a frontal, meshwork-filled, guard portion [8 whereto is hinged (so as to be folclable) as at III, a co-operating guard portion I8.

Guard members l8, I8 when folded one upon the other may be pivoted on rods l1, so as to lie in substantially the same plane as bars l2, and so may be pulled or pushed by hand, through the passages II of the wall HP, to bring the guard into position of use for movement in front of the fire, or to conceal same as may be desired. On extension the foldable members I8, [8 of each side of the fireplace are secured in guarding position, as shown in Fig. 1, by a bolt 20 (Fig. 2) or in any other convenient manner.

Referring now to a perspective view of the fireplace 11- the modification illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings, through circular apertures 20 with guide sleeves 2|?! are formed in the side wall surrounds Ill of the fire place below and above said passages l I, and slide rods or tubes 2| (being the equivalent of bars I2) carrying the rear pieces [5 and front panels [3,. and to which the side. guard meshwork is attached, are passed therethrough. In this instance rods |Twhereto are hinged frontal guard portions l8-are mounted on the rear of, panels I 3 by means of brackets I3 and panels l3 are secured to slide rods if by internally screw-threaded shanks 2| of slide rods 2| and screws 22.

In application of our invention to a metal fireplace, such as a kitchen grate, said guides H or sleeves may be cast on the side Wal lsl of the surround during manufacture.

If desired, a provided foldable or other pro.- tector top may be fitable to a guard, as heretofore described, so that the" fireplace mayv be completely enclosed.

The distance of the guard; whenin use; from a: fire is, of course, such' that its front will not become unduly heated, andwhen not required for the protection of children, the guard may be utilised to dry or air clothing, and like articles.

If desired, provision may be made for" the folding and retirement of a guards components to their concealed positions to be facilitated by spring assistance.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a fireplace having side walls provided with vertically extending passages, upper and lower horizontal guides provided in said wall passages, bars each slFi'dably mounted inone of said guides, a panel plate secured at the front of said slide bars, a stop member connecting the rear ends of said slide bars, guard meshwork filling the rectangular frame created by said slide bars, saidfront panel, and said rear stop member, and which constitutes when in use a guard component located at a side of said fireplace, a vertical rod secured adjacent said front panel, a pair of foldable meshwork-filled guard 4; frames pivotally supported on said vertical rod and constituting when in use guard components located at the front of said fireplace, and means for detachably associating the meeting ends of both pairs of-said foldable front guards within position of use, the arrangement being such that each side guard component, and pair of associated from: guard components may pass into and through a wall passage when not required said upper and lower slide bars.

3'. combination, a fireplace and guard components as claimed in claim 1, in which said side guides of. the fireplace wall are in the formof sleeves. and. said slidable. bars are of. circular sec.- tion, and the. vertical,v rods whereto said. front guard components. are. pivotally joined are c0nnected with. said front panels: at points respecti'vely below and above said side guard carrying bars.

HERBERT OWEN DAVIES JOHN ARNOLD DAVIES.

References Cited in the file. of this patent UNITED STATES:

Il'unrlcner Name: Date- 1'69,87'6 Williamson Nov. 9, 2875 453,765 Vance g June 9, 1891 1 ,564,281 Set'chfield Dec. 8, T925 778,943 Hofi'man Oct, 2E, 19-30 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Date.

823 GreatnBritain of 1999 7,074 Great Britain of; I909 199,995 Great Britain July 5, 1923 575,597 7 Great Britain Feb. 25,. 1946 577,717 Great Britain May 29, .1946. 

